Chapter 178 Palace Messengers Arrive

Chapter 178 Someone from the Palace Arrives

"You keep saying, 'For the sake of being family, please don't report this to the officials,' but when have you, the second branch, ever treated us as family? Hao'er was already in such a state, and your son still wouldn't let him off. Does your family even have a heart?"

"If it weren't for Princess Ye being here, my son would have lost his life by now. Your son made a mistake and not only refused to admit it but also tried to frame her. Your second branch is truly a den of snakes and rats—you're not even human!"

Madam Chai trembled with anger. The pent-up fury in her heart was ignited, and she no longer cared about blood ties. She directly lashed out at the second branch.

"My husband agreed to take you into the Chai estate ten years ago, not so you could harm my son. This estate was built by us, the main branch, through hard work. We support you with our money, feed you, and clothe you—and this is how you repay us?"

"Your family is a bunch of ungrateful wolves. Now get out—out of the Chai estate, and never show your faces before us again!"

Upon hearing this, Tian Shi turned pale with fright.

"Sister-in-law, although our second branch is born from a concubine's line, half of this estate belongs to us as well. You can't just drive us out."

Chai Rufeng flicked his sleeves and snorted disdainfully, "Hmph, you're nothing but shameful illegitimate children born to a mistress, never accepted into the Chai family genealogy. You actually think you're part of this family?"

"I agreed to bring you back only out of respect for my father's dying wish. But Chai Ruyu, don't forget—it was because of your shameless mother, who clung to my father and came to the estate with a big pregnant belly, making a scene day and night, that my mother died of grief."

"Your mother killed my mother, and now your son wants to kill my son. You heartless, ungrateful wretches—how can the Chai estate still tolerate you?"

"Pack your things and leave this instant!"

With these words, the main branch and the second branch had completely fallen out.

The Tian Shi family naturally refused to leave. They fell to their knees, crying and playing the poor victim.

But Chai Rufeng and Madam Chai were not ones to indulge them. They ordered the servants to pack their clothes and belongings and toss them out.

Even Chai Jingxuan, who lay bedridden and unable to move, was carried out and thrown out.

As for the gold, silver, and jewelry in the estate, they were not given a single piece of gold, silver, or jewelry.

Ji Yuntang watched from the side, sighing inwardly. It had been a long time since she had seen a couple as decisive as Squire Chai and Madam Chai.

Even when dealing with those who had wronged them, even if they were blood relatives, they showed no indulgence.

Ji Yuntang smiled faintly. She liked the temperament of these two. Maybe someday she'd have a chance to cooperate with them in business.

When the matter was settled, Chai Rufeng looked at Ji Yuntang apologetically.

"Princess Ye, I'm truly sorry for what happened today. That second branch offended you and made a scene. This humble commoner asks you, are you satisfied with the punishment just now?"

"They wronged you, and that was entirely their fault. If you're not satisfied and want to report this to the authorities, we can arrange that too."

Ji Yuntang smiled lightly. "No need. Squire Chai, the way you handled this was excellent."

Compared to imprisonment or execution, casting someone from the paradise of wealth into the hell of poverty is the most tormenting punishment.

For someone accustomed to a life of luxury, to become destitute overnight—isn't that the heaviest penalty?

Besides, Chai Jingxuan only insulted her a few times; the authorities would not execute his whole family over that.

Madam Chai's eyes glistened with tears as she looked at Ji Yuntang, dabbing her tears with a handkerchief.

"Princess, you're truly kind. Thanks to your timely rescue today, my Hao'er has survived. Our Chai estate owes you a big favor. If there's ever anything you need from us, please do not hesitate to ask. We promise to help as much as we can."

Ji Yuntang's red lips curved into a smile. "Madam Chai, you're too kind. Young Master Chai is a patient of mine, and you have already paid the medical fees. As a physician, it's only right that I treat him."

"However, the young master has just undergone surgery and has not yet woken up. The treatment for today will have to be postponed for another half month."

As she spoke, Ji Yuntang turned to look at Chai Minghao, who was sleeping in bed. His face was as pale as paper—bloodless and extremely weak.

"The young master has lost too much blood today and urgently needs herbal medicine for nourishment. Let me write a prescription. Madam Chai, have someone prepare the herbs according to the prescription and decoct them, and feed them to the young master three times a day. First, let's stabilize his emotions before anything else."

Madam Chai readily agreed to Ji Yuntang's proposal.

Ji Yuntang took paper and pen, wrote out the prescription, and gave Squire Chai and Madam Chai instructions on how to care for the patient. She didn't linger long and left.

She and Tao Zhi had just gotten off the carriage and reached the main gate of the Prince Ye's mansion when a young man in black hurried out from inside the mansion.

Seeing Ji Yuntang, he looked as if he had found his pillar of support. He immediately stepped forward to report: "Xuan Bing greets Princess Ye."

"Princess, something terrible has happened. Someone from the palace has arrived."

Xuan Bing was one of the guards Ji Yuntang had stationed in the Western Courtyard to protect Luo Junhe's safety.

Under normal circumstances, he would not be waiting at the gate of the Prince Ye mansion.

Judging by his appearance, Ji Yuntang knew that he had been waiting here a long time.

"Tell me clearly. What's going on?"

Ji Yuntang walked into the mansion, and Xuan Bing followed behind, giving a detailed report.

"After you left today, someone from the palace came not long after. The visitor was a eunuch in his fifties, who claimed to be Eunuch Zhang, who serves His Majesty. He said he had been sent by the Emperor to visit our prince. The guards at the gate saw the palace token in his hand and didn't dare to stop him, so they let him in. He hasn't left yet."

Ji Yuntang frowned. Eunuch Zhang beside Emperor Jingyang was none other than his most trusted Zhang Fugui.

She had met this Eunuch Zhang a few times in the palace before. He was a shrewd, capable, and highly respected figure.

In simple terms, he was the Emperor's most loyal and obedient flunky.

Ever since Luo Junhe had been paralyzed in bed, Emperor Jingyang had rarely sent anyone to visit him.

Now, he had sent his most capable eunuch Zhang. What did that mean?

It meant that Emperor Jingyang was also watching how Luo Junhe's condition was progressing.

Though he was in the palace, he kept his ears and eyes everywhere. Ji Yuntang did not naively believe that the Emperor had truly sent Eunuch Zhang to visit Luo Junhe.

After all, in the Emperor's eyes, Luo Junhe had long been a useless pawn that had been abandoned.

Most likely, Emperor Jingyang wanted to see when he would die.

Ji Yuntang sneered and asked, "Where is Eunuch Zhang now?"

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